Cellular therapy for the treatment of disease is expanding rapidly. There are many types of cells being used to treat an equally diverse set of diseases, and both types of cells and disease conditions are expanding rapidly. Xenogeneic cell therapies involve implantation of cells from one species into another. Allogeneic cell therapies involve implantation from one individual of a species into another individual of the same species. Autologous cell therapies involve implantation of cells from one individual into the same individual. Cell components can also have a beneficial effect on the body in selected instances. Any of the above therapies are examples of approaches that can be delivered with the systems and methods of this invention.
Deleterious effects of cellular fluid mechanics are not well addressed in many current fluid paths. For example, standard luer connectors are used almost universally in the current medical practice, including in fluid paths for cell delivery. FIGS. 1A and 1B show a standard Luer connector 10. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, standard Luer connectors 10 include a male connector 101 having a tapered extension 103 and female connectors 102 that include a tapered bore 104. These tapered sections meet when the male 101 and female 102 are mated (FIG. 1B). FIG. 1C shows an enlargement of these tapered sections during mating. The tapered extension 103 of the male connector 101 is not, typically, designed to contact the distal most part of the tapered bore 104 of the female connector 102 leaving a dead space or gap A. In addition, a first sharp transition B in the fluid path is created at the end of the male connector 101 and a second sharp transition C between the distal most part of the tapered bore 104 of the female connector 102 and the tube 106 of the female connector 102.
As fluid moves between the male connector 101 and the female connector 102 turbulence and increased shear stress is created which can result in cell damage or cell death when cells are being transported through the Luer connector 10. Moreover, a portion of the fluid transported through the connector is lost in the gap. Because certain medical procedures require delivery of relatively small volumes of fluids, such as contrast delivery, the fluid lost in the connector can have a significant effect on treatment, and in some medical procedures, this trapped material in a connector can present a biohazard.